The term classification refers to the very action of organizing an inventory and identifying it through certain analysis parameters. On the other hand, in the sports area it can refer to the possibility of a team or individual to reach a higher stage within a competition. Given the breadth of applications to the term, it can refer to various types of classification with a certain degree of recognition.
Bibliographic classification is a type of classification that is frequently used and consists of the organization of different works, documents, etc. Thus, a bibliographic classification seeks, firstly, the distribution of elements through its information , trying to create some kind of index to explain the specific themes and materials of a library . In this way, the classification tries to identify the content of each element in order to locate it according to the different identification classes. This allows information to be grouped into the library according to its type. It may seem like a task not so important for small libraries, but those that have a large amount of material, this activity becomes essential.
In biology, the main type of classification is called taxonomy, which basically consists of the classification of living beings. This involves considering their biological evolution . So, for example, each species goes back to its ancestor until it reaches a hypothetical common ancestor. That’s why this type of classification has a kind of hierarchical structure, with a root subdivided into several ends. Basically, it has contributed with numerous factors, but the most relevant are, without a shadow of a doubt, the works of Linnaeus, who published a classification of plants of great academic acceptance, as well as the works of evolutionary theory.
In relation to inanimate beings, we can refer to the Strunz classification, which focuses on classifying minerals. It takes its name from work in a museum by mineralogist Karl Higo Strunz on a geological collection. Thus, Strunz developed a classification system that divides minerals into nine classes depending on the chemical composition presented.
It can be said that classification is a natural human tendency. This is fundamentally due to the need to preserve and systematize the knowledge obtained. That is why this type of activity is especially useful in the scientific field, as it allows a crystallization of knowledge .
